What Engineers and Software Developers Earn Across Europe

Engineer salaries, country by country

Based on NewLuxJob's job postings listed under the "Engineer" title, median pay varies widely across Europe. In Germany, the median is 70000 EUR, with the middle half of postings (the 25th to 75th percentile) ranging from 55000 to 85000 EUR, based on 325 postings. In Spain, the median is 58650 EUR, with the middle half spanning 30000 to 87275 EUR across 76 postings. Austria shows a median of 49000 EUR, middle half 42000 to 60000 EUR, from 87 postings. In the Netherlands, the median is 48114 EUR, middle half 43200 to 57600 EUR, across 690 postings. Belgium lists a median of 45300 EUR, middle half 39600 to 51000 EUR, from 100 postings. France has the largest sample here, 4161 postings, with a median of 45000 EUR and a middle half of 39000 to 52500 EUR. Italy shows a median of 43125 EUR, middle half 36917 to 53250 EUR, from 116 postings. Czechia has the lowest median in this set, 27311 EUR, with a middle half of 19863 to 39725 EUR, from 454 postings.

Software developer pay across five markets

NewLuxJob's postings tagged "Software Developer" cover five countries. Spain has the highest median here, 69374 EUR, though the middle half is wide, 33000 to 91000 EUR, from 41 postings. Germany follows with a median of 68190 EUR, middle half 54250 to 80375 EUR, from 94 postings. The Netherlands median is 51600 EUR, middle half 43830 to 61968 EUR, across 187 postings. France shows a median of 45000 EUR, middle half 39000 to 52500 EUR, from 968 postings. Czechia has the lowest median, 36330 EUR, middle half 23401 to 44691 EUR, from 302 postings.

Why the middle half matters more than the median

A single median number hides how wide pay can be within one country. Spain's software developer postings, for instance, have a median of 69374 EUR but a middle half stretching from 33000 to 91000 EUR across just 41 postings, a sign that roles grouped under this title cover very different levels. Czechia's engineer postings, by contrast, sit in a narrower band, 19863 to 39725 EUR, across a much larger sample of 454 postings. Markets with higher posting counts, like France's 4161 engineer listings or 968 software developer listings, give a steadier read on the middle half than markets with a few dozen postings, where a handful of senior or junior roles can shift the range shown.

What this means if you are job hunting in Europe

If you are comparing offers, look at the middle half, not just the median, and check how many postings sit behind the figure for the country you are targeting. A median built on 4161 French engineer postings or 968 French software developer postings reflects a broad slice of listings. A median built on 76 Spanish engineer postings or 41 Spanish software developer postings is a smaller sample, worth reading alongside its wider middle-half range rather than as a single fixed number. Among the countries covered here, engineer medians run from 27311 EUR in Czechia to 70000 EUR in Germany, and software developer medians run from 36330 EUR in Czechia to 69374 EUR in Spain.